Strap latch

ABSTRACT

A strap latch includes a female buckle, and a male buckle detachably snapped onto the female buckle. Each of the male buckle and the female buckle is provided with a clamping member for clamping a fabric strap. The clamping member has two clamping pieces each having an inner face formed with a plurality of protruding engaging blocks engaged with the respective fabric strap. Thus, each of the engaging blocks has a planar contact with the respective fabric strap to increase the contact area between each of the engaging blocks and the respective fabric strap, so that each of the engaging blocks is engaged with the respective fabric strap closely.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a strap latch, and more particularly to a strap latch having a closely locking effect.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional strap latch in accordance with the prior art shown in FIG. 4 comprises a female buckle 1 having a first end formed with a slot 11 and a second end formed with a mounting portion 12 for mounting a fabric strap, and a male buckle 2 detachably snapped onto the female buckle 1 and having a first end formed with a plug 21 detachably inserted into the slot 11 of the female buckle 1 and a second end formed with a mounting portion 22 for mounting a fabric strap. However, the fabric strap is mounted on the mounting portion 12 and 22 of each of the female buckle 1 and the male buckle 2 by sawing or bonding, thereby wasting the manual work. In addition, it is necessary to replace the whole strap latch when one of the mounting portions 12 and 22 is worn out, thereby increasing the costs.

Another conventional strap latch in accordance with the prior art shown in FIGS. 5-7 comprises a female buckle 32, and a male buckle 31 detachably snapped onto the female buckle 32. Each of the male buckle 31 and the female buckle 32 is provided with a clamping member 33 for clamping a fabric strap 4. Each of the male buckle 31 and the female buckle 32 is formed with a locking hole 311 and 321 for locking the respective clamping member 33. The clamping member 33 is inserted into and locked in each of the male buckle 31 and the female buckle 32 by its flexibility. The clamping member 33 has two clamping pieces 335 each having an inner face formed with a plurality of conical posts 331 rested on the respective fabric strap 4 and an outer face formed with a locking block 332 locked in the locking hole 311 and 321 of each of the male buckle 31 and the female buckle 32. The two clamping pieces 335 of the clamping member 33 have a connection formed with a slit 334 so that the clamping member 33 is made flexible and the two clamping pieces 335 of the clamping member 33 are movable toward each other. Each of the two clamping pieces 335 of the clamping member 33 is formed with a plurality of circular holes 333 co-operating with the respective conical posts 331 for locking the respective fabric strap 4. Thus, the fabric strap 4 is directly clamped by the respective clamping member 33 without needing sawing or bonding, thereby facilitating assembly of the strap latch. However, each of the conical posts 331 has a point contact with the respective fabric strap 4, so that the conical posts 331 cannot lock the respective fabric strap 4 closely. In addition, the fabric strap 4 is easily torn by the sharp portion of each of the conical posts 331, so that the fabric strap 4 is easily detached from the respective clamping member 33.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a strap latch having a closely locking effect.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a strap latch, wherein each of the engaging blocks has a planar contact with the respective fabric strap to increase the contact area between each of the engaging blocks and the respective fabric strap, so that each of the engaging blocks is engaged with the respective fabric strap closely.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a strap latch, wherein each of the engaging blocks has an oblique tapered shape and has two sides each formed with a ramp rested on the respective fabric strap to increase the contact area between each of the engaging blocks and the respective fabric strap so as to engage the respective fabric strap closely.

A further objective of the present invention is to provide a strap latch, wherein the engaging blocks and the respective engaging holes co-operate to engage the respective fabric strap 6 closely.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a strap latch in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a clamping member of the strap latch as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan cross-sectional assembly view of the strap latch as shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional strap latch in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another conventional strap latch in accordance with the prior art;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a clamping member of the conventional strap latch as shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan cross-sectional assembly view of the conventional strap latch as shown in FIG. 5.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1, a strap latch in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a female buckle 52, and a male buckle 51 detachably snapped onto the female buckle 52. Each of the male buckle 51 and the female buckle 52 is provided with a clamping member 53 for clamping a fabric strap 6.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, each of the male buckle 51 and the female buckle 52 is formed with a locking hole 511 and 521 for locking the respective clamping member 53. The clamping member 53 is a substantially V-shaped flexible body and is inserted into and locked in each of the male buckle 51 and the female buckle 52 by its flexibility.

The clamping member 53 has two clamping pieces 532 each having an inner face formed with a plurality of protruding engaging blocks 533 engaged with the respective fabric strap 6 and an outer face formed with a locking block 535 locked in the locking hole 511 and 521 of each of the male buckle 51 and the female buckle 52. The two clamping pieces 532 of the clamping member 53 have a connection formed with a slit 531 so that the clamping member 53 is made flexible and the two clamping pieces 532 of the clamping member 53 are movable toward each other. The locking block 535 of each of the two clamping pieces 532 of the clamping member 53 has a tapered shape and a thickness gradually increased from the connection to a distal end of each of the two clamping pieces 532.

Each of the two clamping pieces 532 of the clamping member 53 is formed with a plurality of substantially rectangular engaging holes 534 for engaging the respective fabric strap 6. The engaging holes 534 of one of the two clamping pieces 532 are aligned with the engaging blocks 533 of the other one of the two clamping pieces 532 so that the engaging blocks 533 and the respective engaging holes 534 co-operate to engage the respective fabric strap 6. The engaging blocks 533 and the respective engaging holes 534 of the two clamping pieces 532 of the clamping member 53 are arranged in a staggered manner.

Each of the engaging blocks 533 has a planar contact with the respective fabric strap 6 to increase the contact area between each of the engaging blocks 533 and the respective fabric strap 6, so that each of the engaging blocks 533 is engaged with the respective fabric strap 6 closely. Each of the engaging blocks 533 has an oblique tapered shape to engage the respective fabric strap 6 closely and has two sides each formed with a ramp 5330 rested on the respective fabric strap 6 to increase the contact area between each of the engaging blocks 533 and the respective fabric strap 6. Each of the engaging blocks 533 has a substantially rectangular root portion 5332 extended from the inner face of each of the two clamping pieces 532 of the clamping member 53.

Accordingly, each of the engaging blocks 533 has a planar contact with the respective fabric strap 6 to increase the contact area between each of the engaging blocks 533 and the respective fabric strap 6, so that each of the engaging blocks 533 is engaged with the respective fabric strap 6 closely. In addition, each of the engaging blocks 533 has an oblique tapered shape and has two sides each formed with a ramp 5330 rested on the respective fabric strap 6 to increase the contact area between each of the engaging blocks 533 and the respective fabric strap 6 so as to engage the respective fabric strap 6 closely. Further, the engaging blocks 533 and the respective engaging holes 534 co-operate to engage the respective fabric strap 6 closely.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention. 

1. A strap latch, comprising a female buckle, and a male buckle detachably snapped onto the female buckle, wherein: each of the male buckle and the female buckle is provided with a clamping member for clamping a fabric strap; the clamping member has two clamping pieces each having an inner face formed with a plurality of protruding engaging blocks engaged with the respective fabric strap and an outer face formed with a locking block locked in the locking hole and of each of the male buckle and the female buckle.
 2. The strap latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the engaging blocks has a planar contact with the respective fabric strap to increase a contact area between each of the engaging blocks and the respective fabric strap, so that each of the engaging blocks is engaged with the respective fabric strap closely.
 3. The strap latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the engaging blocks has an oblique tapered shape to engage the respective fabric strap closely.
 4. The strap latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the engaging blocks has two sides each formed with a ramp rested on the respective fabric strap to increase the contact area between each of the engaging blocks and the respective fabric strap.
 5. The strap latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein the two clamping pieces of the clamping member have a connection formed with a slit so that the clamping member is made flexible and the two clamping pieces of the clamping member are movable toward each other.
 6. The strap latch in accordance with claim 5, wherein the locking block of each of the two clamping pieces of the clamping member has a tapered shape and a thickness gradually increased from the connection to a distal end of each of the two clamping pieces.
 7. The strap latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the two clamping pieces of the clamping member is formed with a plurality of substantially rectangular engaging holes for engaging the respective fabric strap.
 8. The strap latch in accordance with claim 7, wherein the engaging holes of one of the two clamping pieces are aligned with the engaging blocks of the other one of the two clamping pieces so that the engaging blocks and the respective engaging holes co-operate to engage the respective fabric strap.
 9. The strap latch in accordance with claim 7, wherein the engaging holes of the two clamping pieces of the clamping member are arranged in a staggered manner.
 10. The strap latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein the engaging blocks of the two clamping pieces of the clamping member are arranged in a staggered manner.
 11. The strap latch in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of the engaging blocks has a substantially rectangular root portion extended from the inner face of each of the two clamping pieces of the clamping member. 